V Australia announces new routes
Aug 17, 2009, 6:46 am
#1
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: STR/SYD/SMF
Programs: QF Lifetime SG, LH HON, OZ Lifetime Diamond +, HH Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 14,375
V Australia announces new routes
Australia’s new international airline V Australia today announced Phuket and Johannesburg as its next two destinations along with a strengthened focus on Melbourne just six months after launch. Four new V Australia routes to commence from December onwards include:
Brand new international routes and destinations for V Australia
Thailand, South Africa, Los Angeles
$399* one way “Tuk Tuk to Thailand” fares* ex Brisbane and Melbourne
$1899 “far out safari ” return fares* ex Melbourne
Brisbane to Phuket, Thailand direct twice weekly from 22 November 2009.
Melbourne to Phuket, Thailand direct flights 1 a week from 3 December 2009.
Melbourne to Los Angeles, USA direct flights twice weekly from 1 December 2009.
Melbourne to Johannesburg, South Africa direct flights from 13 March 2010.
The airline has also lodged an application with the International Air Services Commission for permission and slots to operate flights between Australia and Fiji.
To celebrate the extra destinations of Phuket and Johannesburg, special launch fares go on sale from 2.00pm today on the airline’s website starting from $399* one way to Phuket and $1899* return to Johannesburg from Melbourne. Special launch fares for International Business Class are also available from $1499 one-way to Phuket and $5999 return to Johannesburg. International Premium Economy fares are available from $899 one-way to Phuket and $2999 return to Johannesburg. All fares are fully inclusive of taxes and surcharges.
Virgin Blue Airlines Group Chief Executive, Brett Godfrey, said, ‘We believe our new destinations offer very exciting opportunities.”
“Travellers outbound will experience Australian aviation at its best to the USA, Thailand and South Africa and we have high hopes for inbound tourism as we work with partners in our new markets to help develop traffic into Australia via Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.”
“V Australia will be the only airline to offer direct flights from Brisbane to Phuket and Melbourne to Phuket, as well as from Melbourne to South Africa. The March launch of Jo’burg flights will be just in time for fans travelling to South Africa to cheer on the Socceroos at the Soccer (FIFA) World Cup,” he added.
Connecting flights will be available from other key Australian ports to both Johannesburg and Phuket.
V Australia, a member of the Virgin Blue Airlines group launched in February on the Sydney-Los Angeles route and commenced operations between Brisbane-Los Angeles in April this year.
The airline is set to take delivery of its fourth Boeing 777-300ER aircraft configured in a three class configuration.
V Australia has been an instant hit with air travellers both here and in the USA due to its blend of Virgin service and a fresh take on fully inclusive, premium airline travel at consistently affordable fares.
Feedback surveys show the airline’s favourite features to be the three class airline’s sit down bar in Business Class, fully lie-flat beds, “Red” the user friendly individual in-flight entertainment system across all cabins, twilight sky on the cabin roof, piped music and elegant Aussie wallpaper in the bathrooms and the genuinely friendly service of a proud V Australia crew.
Brand new international routes and destinations for V Australia
Thailand, South Africa, Los Angeles
$399* one way “Tuk Tuk to Thailand” fares* ex Brisbane and Melbourne
$1899 “far out safari ” return fares* ex Melbourne
Brisbane to Phuket, Thailand direct twice weekly from 22 November 2009.
Melbourne to Phuket, Thailand direct flights 1 a week from 3 December 2009.
Melbourne to Los Angeles, USA direct flights twice weekly from 1 December 2009.
Melbourne to Johannesburg, South Africa direct flights from 13 March 2010.
The airline has also lodged an application with the International Air Services Commission for permission and slots to operate flights between Australia and Fiji.
To celebrate the extra destinations of Phuket and Johannesburg, special launch fares go on sale from 2.00pm today on the airline’s website starting from $399* one way to Phuket and $1899* return to Johannesburg from Melbourne. Special launch fares for International Business Class are also available from $1499 one-way to Phuket and $5999 return to Johannesburg. International Premium Economy fares are available from $899 one-way to Phuket and $2999 return to Johannesburg. All fares are fully inclusive of taxes and surcharges.
Virgin Blue Airlines Group Chief Executive, Brett Godfrey, said, ‘We believe our new destinations offer very exciting opportunities.”
“Travellers outbound will experience Australian aviation at its best to the USA, Thailand and South Africa and we have high hopes for inbound tourism as we work with partners in our new markets to help develop traffic into Australia via Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.”
“V Australia will be the only airline to offer direct flights from Brisbane to Phuket and Melbourne to Phuket, as well as from Melbourne to South Africa. The March launch of Jo’burg flights will be just in time for fans travelling to South Africa to cheer on the Socceroos at the Soccer (FIFA) World Cup,” he added.
Connecting flights will be available from other key Australian ports to both Johannesburg and Phuket.
V Australia, a member of the Virgin Blue Airlines group launched in February on the Sydney-Los Angeles route and commenced operations between Brisbane-Los Angeles in April this year.
The airline is set to take delivery of its fourth Boeing 777-300ER aircraft configured in a three class configuration.
V Australia has been an instant hit with air travellers both here and in the USA due to its blend of Virgin service and a fresh take on fully inclusive, premium airline travel at consistently affordable fares.
Feedback surveys show the airline’s favourite features to be the three class airline’s sit down bar in Business Class, fully lie-flat beds, “Red” the user friendly individual in-flight entertainment system across all cabins, twilight sky on the cabin roof, piped music and elegant Aussie wallpaper in the bathrooms and the genuinely friendly service of a proud V Australia crew.
Aug 19, 2009, 8:02 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Just checking some airfares for the HKT route, and as an example looked at J on the SYD-HKT route for VA compared with some other airlines out of curiosity (outbound 20 Dec, return 27 Dec);
VA - $3960
MH - $2610
SQ - $3490
TG - $3850
So, all of the South East Asian competitors are cheaper than VA in J (OK, SQ is offering quite a good sale right now....so maybe not the fairest comparison). However, the TG fare seems to be a regular fare, and the airline flies 6 times a day between the East Coast and Thailand, as opposed to 3 times a week on VA. For a customer in J, this surely would be an important factor in booking a flight whether it be for a conference or a luxury holiday in Phuket.
When comparing flights in Economy Class, the converse is true (outbound 20 Dec, Return 27 Dec)
VA - $960
SQ - $1490
TG - $1530
JQ* - $1016
*It seems in Y, VA is competing with Jetstar on price. JQ does not fly on the same days out of Australia as VA, so it would be unfair to do a direct comparison, but on roughly similar dates, JQ came out to $1016
In Premium Economy, VA comes in at $1963 for the same dates which is largely similar to the airfare JQ offers in its Star Class cabin (about $2070) on similar dates (which, entitles you to lounge access in Sydney, which VA does not).
So it seems that VA has priced itself out of the market in J, while competing in Y on price. It will be interesting to see if VA will be able to survive in its new routes given the low frequency of its flights
VA - $3960
MH - $2610
SQ - $3490
TG - $3850
So, all of the South East Asian competitors are cheaper than VA in J (OK, SQ is offering quite a good sale right now....so maybe not the fairest comparison). However, the TG fare seems to be a regular fare, and the airline flies 6 times a day between the East Coast and Thailand, as opposed to 3 times a week on VA. For a customer in J, this surely would be an important factor in booking a flight whether it be for a conference or a luxury holiday in Phuket.
When comparing flights in Economy Class, the converse is true (outbound 20 Dec, Return 27 Dec)
VA - $960
SQ - $1490
TG - $1530
JQ* - $1016
*It seems in Y, VA is competing with Jetstar on price. JQ does not fly on the same days out of Australia as VA, so it would be unfair to do a direct comparison, but on roughly similar dates, JQ came out to $1016
In Premium Economy, VA comes in at $1963 for the same dates which is largely similar to the airfare JQ offers in its Star Class cabin (about $2070) on similar dates (which, entitles you to lounge access in Sydney, which VA does not).
So it seems that VA has priced itself out of the market in J, while competing in Y on price. It will be interesting to see if VA will be able to survive in its new routes given the low frequency of its flights
Aug 19, 2009, 8:37 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Singapore
Programs: QF LTG, SQ EGTP, Bonvoy LTG
Posts: 4,847
Goodness they have barely started selling seats! I would have thought it would take a little time for the market to do it's stuff, and J pricing to settle into a price that the market will tolerate.
Nov 5, 2009, 8:12 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 172
SYD-NAN commences December 18th.
V Australia said that it would begin daily flights from December 18, offering an economy fare of $199 one-way, $469 premium economy and $649 for a business class seat..........V Australia began selling tickets for the new service late yesterday and a spokesperson said the decision meant more bargain fares would now be available....The sale is on until midnight November 30 for specific travel periods
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business...-1225794934682
Nov 5, 2009, 11:35 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Australia
Programs: QF LTS, Marriott LTP, ALL GOLD
Posts: 2,440
Good move. The SYD-NAN route is popular so the added capacity will be welcomed. Good use of aircraft as it would be sitting idle all day otherwise.
Interesting Pacific Blue are usign the old NAN slot to increase their NZ frequencies so overall capacity growth for the group ex SYD.
Interesting Pacific Blue are usign the old NAN slot to increase their NZ frequencies so overall capacity growth for the group ex SYD.
Nov 6, 2009, 12:23 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Australia
Programs: QF LTS, Marriott LTP, ALL GOLD
Posts: 2,440
Are you serious? $199 in Y is pretty cheap. Last time I looked QF code (FJ metal) was about $100 more each way in Y and in business $975 o/w in ...... roughly $300 more or $600 r/t than VA's superior J.
On the SYD route FJ fly a clapped out 747 with cradle seats and crappy IFE. VA will have a far superior offering in Y + J than FJ.
As for not flying through SYD... I believe this route is not for connecting pax... it is for the O&D market... the DJ services were scremaing out for a capacit increase and this does the job nicely as well as taking on a new premium market that FJ had to itself.
On the SYD route FJ fly a clapped out 747 with cradle seats and crappy IFE. VA will have a far superior offering in Y + J than FJ.
As for not flying through SYD... I believe this route is not for connecting pax... it is for the O&D market... the DJ services were scremaing out for a capacit increase and this does the job nicely as well as taking on a new premium market that FJ had to itself.
Nov 6, 2009, 1:39 am
#9
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Singapore
Programs: QF LTG, SQ EGTP, Bonvoy LTG
Posts: 4,847
Nov 7, 2009, 8:12 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: BNE, OOL
Programs: QFF WP, VA SG, Hhonors Diamond
Posts: 361
Are you serious? $199 in Y is pretty cheap. Last time I looked QF code (FJ metal) was about $100 more each way in Y and in business $975 o/w in ...... roughly $300 more or $600 r/t than VA's superior J.
On the SYD route FJ fly a clapped out 747 with cradle seats and crappy IFE. VA will have a far superior offering in Y + J than FJ.
As for not flying through SYD... I believe this route is not for connecting pax... it is for the O&D market... the DJ services were scremaing out for a capacit increase and this does the job nicely as well as taking on a new premium market that FJ had to itself.
On the SYD route FJ fly a clapped out 747 with cradle seats and crappy IFE. VA will have a far superior offering in Y + J than FJ.
As for not flying through SYD... I believe this route is not for connecting pax... it is for the O&D market... the DJ services were scremaing out for a capacit increase and this does the job nicely as well as taking on a new premium market that FJ had to itself.
I might be spoiled though - I'm used to airlines having amazing specials when they bring out a new route! This one is good - but not great.